A Bee's Perspective - Volume 2
by BEtheLEAF44
Summary: An insight of Blake and Yang's relationship in Vol. 2. They've become close friends, but could there be deeper feelings?
1. Chapter 1

On Friday night during the first week of break, the end of term bash planned by Weiss and Yang was turning out to be a big hit. String lights adorned the school's courtyard; their warm glow created a delightful ambiance under the dark blue sky. Students enjoyed food, music, games and a large bonfire. Yang even convinced Headmaster Ozpin to launch fireworks around 10pm. People huddled in the grass on blankets so they could watch the spectacle of bursting lights exploding brilliant colors; a marvelous contrast to the vacuity of the starless sky.

Yang loved throwing parties and planning events. It was a way to create a lasting experience that people could look back and remember over the years. Plus, there was nothing more rewarding than seeing everyone enjoying themselves and connecting, especially her close friends and family.

The festivity didn't die down until well after midnight. By then, only Team RWBY remained seated around the dwindling fire. The blonde was glad that they seemed to have enjoyed themselves as she settled next to Blake, close enough that their knees would brush from time to time.

Throughout the night, she found herself wanting to know where Blake was for opportunities to sneak glances at her. She also noticed that she was finding reasons to be near Blake or touch her, however simple the touch may be. It was odd for Yang, but she brushed it off as her way of checking on her partner.

Ruby stood, muffling a yawn with her hand. "Well ladies, it's been a lot of fun but I'm going to bed."

"Me too," Weiss said looking just as sleepy.

"Goodnight," Blake and Yang said simultaneously.

"Night," Ruby and Weiss replied in unison while walking back to the dorms.

She and Blake continued to watch the fire quietly until the blonde broke the silence. "Can I ask you something?" She asked. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Blake looked at her curious. "Sure," she replied.

Yang twisted her body towards her slightly so she could face her properly. "Well, to me it seems like the White Fang wants to rid the world of humans, but I've wondered why you don't hate humans like they seem to."

Blake looked away, pensively focusing her attention on the small flames. "I guess I don't think that all humans are bad, just like I don't believe all Faunus are good. It's not about the species; it's about the person. My parents always taught me never to judge a book by its cover." She paused as a sad smile crossed her lips before continuing. "I think that's part of the reason why my father wanted to become the leader of the White Fang. To show humans that even though we're different on the outside, it's what's inside that matters."

"He sounds like a good guy," Yang admitted.

"Great guy," Blake said looking up briefly to meet Yang's gaze and smiling before trailing off again. "Unfortunately, the peaceful protests and rallies he urged were unfruitful. Humans still didn't see us as equals and my father decided to step down as the leader. The White Fang began taking more extreme measures and my parents left soon after."

"And you stayed."

"Yeah," Blake answered quietly. "But I never wanted to hurt anyone," her shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry," Yang said placing a hand on her back. She didn't mean to upset her partner and she knew how hard the Faunus took things. She needed to change the subject. "So when was the last time you saw your parents?"

"Since they left the White Fang. That was about five years ago. They wanted me to come with them…" The raven-haired girl paused; a far away look was in her eyes, like she was transported to another time and place. "Anyway... the Faunus didn't really take their leaving lightly, saying they abandoned them. Plus I'm sure I disappointed them by staying."

Wow, Yang was really just turning the knife in all of her wounds. She felt horrible for asking Blake to share her painful past, but at the same time was grateful that she trusted Yang enough to open up. "Something tells me they would be proud of you for leaving and wanting to make the world a better place," she offered, rubbing a small circle on Blake's back for comfort.

A small smile tugged at her lips and she looked at Yang fondly. "Thanks," she whispered.

"Anytime," the blonde said holding her gaze. They were so close Blake's eyes looked as though they were smoldering. It reminded her of the burning flames before them. Yang felt like if she were ever in a dark place, she could just focus on those eyes to help her find her way home.

Was it her imagination or were their faces getting closer? Out of nowhere, a fizzing sound screeches through the silence followed by an explosion. They jerk apart from one another, standing up to see a firework illuminating the sky and the sounds of teenagers cheering somewhere in the dark trees.

"I guess they got a hold of some of the fireworks," Yang said looking in the direction of the cheering. "I better go tell them to stop." She looked back at her teammate. "See you in the room?" She asked.

"Alright. Be safe," Blake answered turning to leave.

Yang watched her walk away for a moment then headed towards the sound of cheering.

* * *

A small rustling in the dorm caused Blake eye's to flutter open from sleep. The first rays of daylight filtered through the window, casting the room in a soft amber glow. She sat up groggily and scanned the room to find the noise's source. Her eyes widened when she found Yang's half dressed form turned away. Her hair was tossed to one side over a shoulder, while her arms reached behind to clasp a black bra.

Like a moth to a flame, Blake was unable to prevent herself from drinking in the sight. Her gaze traveled to the two dimples of her low back, up the elegant line of her spine, and to strong sculpted shoulders. Her bloodstream became a conduit for desire. Yang's body was so beautiful accentuated by the glow of the sun, she wanted to know every part of it. The Faunus shook her head vigorously –an attempt to ward off the invasive thoughts taking over– needing to get a grip.

Her motion caused Yang to twist slightly to face her. "Oh hey, sorry if I woke you," she whispered so she wouldn't wake Ruby and Weiss.

"You didn't," Blake whispered back, not feeling guilty for the white lie. She threw off her covers and placed her feet on the floor. "I was just going to the bathroom," she said, deciding that she may need a shower. Yang turned completely towards her on the verge of saying something and Blake couldn't help but notice how amazing her breasts looked in that bra. A new heat scorched within her. She was definitely taking a shower, a very cold shower. Hell, maybe she'd get Weiss to encase her in ice. She dawned her slippers and grabbed a towel almost running for the door not waiting for what her teammate would say.

When she reached the hall, she quietly closed the door behind her and turned to see Jaune waiting near his room. "Hey Blake," he greeted.

"Good morning," she replied back, walking in the direction to the girl's bathroom.

"Hey Yang is going to show me some hand-to-hand stuff. Wanna join?" He asked to her retreating form.

"No thanks," she called without looking back.

Under the beating water of the shower, Blake recalled the vow she'd made to herself nearly a fortnight ago at the start of their term break. She pledged that she'd examine the outbreak of odd feelings during her day at the beach with Yang. She kept putting it off however, deciding to delight in the time they'd spent with one another since.

She assumed those feelings were frivolous and that they would wither away. Conversely as each day passed, they had blossomed to uncontainable heights. Now, it was the last day of break and she couldn't put it off any longer.

Seeing that she was no longer burdened with keeping the secret of being a Faunus or hiding her past, Blake let her guard down around her team, and especially around Yang. Over the break, she found herself wanting to be in Yang's company and missing her when she wasn't around. This was absurd since most of their waking moments were spent with one another.

In the blonde's presence, she'd feel both nervous and exhilarated. Incessant butterflies erupted with every touch, smile, or glance that was sent her way. And now, after what transpired in their dorm room earlier, she apparently wanted to know her in a romantic way.

The Faunus turned the handle to shut off the shower, her revelation shocking her more than the frigid water. She _liked_ Yang; was practically head over heels for her. She stood there in the quiet empty shower room allowing her internal declaration to sink in. "Well shit..."

Back in the dorm room, Blake wondered how she didn't catch her affection for Yang sooner. She'd read plenty of romance novels and had once held similar feelings for her past lover:

Adam…

The day she left him was so painful but necessary. He had changed into a complete stranger from the person she once knew. Thoughts of him used to constantly torment her, but now she couldn't recall the last time she'd thought of him.

Her journal sat on a shelf almost beckoning her to read it. She picked it up and headed for the dining hall. Once seated, she thumbed through the pages to find the picture she'd sketched of Adam's backside, recalling when she'd first met him. He had joined the White Fang and served under her father when he was the leader.

Blake was immediately attracted to Adam's drive and ambition. He was a righteous warrior fighting to make life better for the Faunus, and a beacon of hope for many. From him, she learned of the horrible mistreatment of Faunus that labored under the Schnee Dust Company. Then ultimately, he became her mentor, teaching her how to fight and they eventually became lovers. Though her feelings for Adam were similar to what she felt for Yang now, she didn't recall them being this… heady.

Once her father stepped down as the leader of the organization, the White Fang began operating in a moral gray zone. Slowly, she witnessed him show less remorse of killing humans and the body count grew with every mission. He was not only killing those who opposed him, but innocent lives suffered as well. He thought he was making the world a better place, but he and the White Fang were becoming harbingers of fear.

Adam was still out there and the White Fang members were now working with Roman Torchwick to steal Dust. Blake suddenly felt sick. She'd completely brushed aside investigating why the organization allowed itself to work with a human only to have her attention engrossed on something so juvenile.

She felt ridiculous. Yang didn't feel the same way about her, and why would she? Blake's past was too riddled with ugliness, and frankly the lilac-eyed girl deserved better. She needed to stop entertaining these feelings and focus her energy on stopping her former organization. No matter how much it hurt. And that's what she'd pledged she'd do as she looked fixedly at Adam's picture.

Out of nowhere, Yang slid up beside her and gave her body a light bump. "Whatcha doing?" She asked while Weiss took a seat on her opposite side.

Blake's eyes widened in surprise. "Nothing," she said as she quickly closed her book. "Just going over notes from last semester."

A random grape flew towards her partner and she effortlessly caught it in her mouth. "Lame!" she responded playfully.

She eyed her teammate catch another grape and was unable to stop a smirk. She would honor her pledge, but she decided she would start that tomorrow and enjoy just one more day.


	2. Chapter 2

Team RWBY was in one of the training arenas for their combat class. Their instructor, Glynda Goodwitch, was testing their team dynamics with a sort of organized chaos drill. Four pillars surrounded the arena with a member of team JNPR on each one. When a pillar illuminated, the team member would launch a long-range attack into the fray. Since Jaune didn't have a long ranged weapon, he was given one with rounds of Dust to use. As time went on, the pillars illuminated faster.

In the center, team CRDL came at them full force trying to disable or knock them out of the arena. The drill was designed to evaluate a team's endurance, stamina, and strategy. It was utter anarchy, but fun as hell to Yang.

Ruby and Blake were in charge of controlling the showers of long-range attacks from Team JNPR. Their speed and weapons enabled them to hastily move around and dispel the multiple barrages.

Yang and Weiss were in the middle fending off Team CRDL. Weiss hurled ice-based attacks to slow the oncoming attackers, while Yang's heavy hitter style of fighting staved them off. Since Weiss' endurance depleted quickly when using her glyphs, Ruby instructed her not to use them until shit hit the fan. And boy, they were coming to that point.

"Sixty seconds left!" Shouted Glynda from her perch. At that moment, all the pillars illuminated red, which meant that all of Team JNPR could release shots simultaneously. Glynda informed everyone before the drill, that if they got to this stage the inhabitants on the pillars were fair game to be attacked.

Yang's team was already doing leagues better than their first attempt earlier in the school year. During that time, they'd only managed to hold off for only a few minutes. Getting to the sixty-second mark this time was a testament to how much their teamwork had grown.

"Weiss! Yang!" Ruby shouted from afar. "Freezerburn!"

Now it was their chance to try out the team moves they'd repeatedly practiced against actual opponents. Instantly, Weiss froze the ground while Yang launched into the air. As she came down, the blonde punched a round into the ice. In no time, a thick mist consumed the pit disorienting team CRDL.

All fire ceased momentarily and the arena became hauntingly quiet. "Ice Flower," Ruby instructed as she and Weiss regrouped to target Nora. Ruby's sniper rounds became encased in ice, freezing Nora upon impact. Afterward, they used Weiss' glyphs to access to each pillar, taking turns knocking off the opponents.

Meanwhile, Yang acted as a distraction by drawing in the members or CRDL to the far side of the arena. In the concealment of the mist, Blake used the diversion as an opportunity to stealthily land surprise attacks on unsuspecting foes. The Faunus spotted Dove Bronzewing near the edge of the arena once mist began to subside. She hooked her weapon into a beam overhead, flew towards him, and blindsided him with a kick that knocked him out of bounds.

Russel Thrush seized an opportunity to attack Yang while she was busy fighting off Cardin and Sky Lark. He flipped and cartwheeled several times into the air landing a crushing blow that sent her flying.

"Bumblebee!" Ruby cried out from Jaune's pillar having recently knocked him off.

Blake hurriedly tossed her chain scythe to Yang. Her teammate caught it and Blake used the momentum to spin her around. Yang amplified her speed by firing rounds then flung herself towards Cardin's team unleashing a massive attack on the remaining members. They crashed into a far wall unable to continue.

"Time!" Glynda called out. She gave a satisfactory smile to Ruby and her teammates. "That was excellent ladies. Well done." She turned to address the rest of the class. "That will be all for today. Class dismissed."

Yang gave Blake a sidelong look while Ruby and Weiss jumped down from the pillars to join them. Lately, the amber-eyed girl had become distant. It confused and frustrated the blonde because she couldn't understand why she'd suddenly flipped the switch. Every attempt she made of getting Blake to hang out or do something with the team had been declined. The only time she had some semblance of normalcy with her was during training.

In the arena, Yang was astounded that the raven-haired girl currently looked so happy. It reminded her of when she had let her guard down and the memory caused a pang of longing.

"Now that was the bees knees!" Ruby exclaimed, fist pumping the air.

Weiss crossed her arms beside her. "I'll admit, we've improved immensely."

"Agreed," Blake said offering a coy smile.

Ruby bounced up and down excitedly. "Oh! I can't wait to try out our other team moves!"

"Weirdly, I share your excitement," Weiss said.

Ruby flashed her a smile. "So you guys ready to get out of here?" She asked.

Yang looked up towards the bleachers. "You guys go ahead, I have to get something. I'll catch up."

Ruby and Weiss headed for the exit while Blake lingered. "You did great out there," she said towards the blonde's back.

"Oh hey I didn't know we were doing that," Yang replied, turning to look at her partner.

The Faunus gave her a bewildered look. "Doing what?"

"Talking."

"I…" Blake hesitates, but her lips formed an uneasy tight line.

"Look," Yang interrupted while crossing her arms. "Did I do something wrong or something?"

"No," her teammate responded quickly.

"What is it then? Because I thought we were past all of the secrets," the blonde pressed full of frustration. She couldn't keep acting passive like nothing was wrong; she'd done that for long enough and it was getting to her.

Blake's eyes warred with indecision but she didn't reply.

"Apparently not," Yang said. She turned to leave before she said something she'd regret.

* * *

Blake checked her Scroll's map for the cross street she needed to head down. After a few weeks of investigating, she'd finally gotten a lead. Numerous hours were spent in the school's library researching the local Faunus of Vale. On her weekends, she'd wake up before her teammates and head to the city so she could question if those Faunus had any previous ties with the White Fang.

She was beginning to give up hope until a fox-tailed Faunus discreetly slipped her an address while she had tea at a local shop the previous Sunday. Once she got back to school and checked the address on a computer, the location was for a shop called Tukson's Book Trade. A picture of the owner was posted on the webpage. He was a handsome man with distinctive sideburns.

She clicked another link with a news article. Apparently, Tukson had been murdered in his own store a few weeks ago. The investigation thus far hadn't found any likely culprits and Blake wondered why she'd gotten the tip.

Today she decided to check out the shop. As she turned the corner, she was too focused on her Scroll and had bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry," she apologized then looked up. Her eyes grew in recognition of the boy she'd hit. "Sun?!"

"We've really got to stop meeting like this?" He replied with a crooked smile.

"What are you doing here?"

He motioned to the store in front of him with his chin. "Neptunes in there. He needed something for his hair," he gave an exaggerated eye roll.

"But, that store is for women," she pointed out.

He smiled. "Oh he knows, trust me. Guy is so high maintenance he doesn't care."

"I heard that!" Neptune called from the door. "Hey Blake," he greeted while walking up to them. "They're out of what I want so I have to try another store," he pouted.

Sun held up his arms. "Count me out man. I'm not spending my whole Saturday waiting for you to get hair products."

"Oh sure, abandon me. I'm used to it," he responded blithely. He threw up a peace sign while walking away. "I'll catch you two back at school then."

"So what you up to?" Sun asked.

"Nothing," Blake responded quickly and started walking.

Sun followed behind her. "Great! I'll do nothing with you."

She abruptly turned to face him. "Please don't," she replied in a clipped tone. Blake had no idea what she was getting into and no desire to put anyone in danger.

He eyed her skeptically. "You're doing something that has to do with the White Fang aren't you?"

Blake glowered. "It doesn't matter. Just stay out of my business."

He gave her a serious look that surprised her since the boy was always so easy going. "You going on a solo mission against an entire organization _is_ my business. It's just dumb to go alone."

The raven-haired girl grit her teeth. "Fine," she scoffed while stomping off. The Faunus boy trailed her until they came up to the bookshop's storefront. Police tape and closed signs adorned the front door and windows. Blake pulled out the folded piece of paper with the address. Maybe she could find a clue inside?

They headed towards the back of the store in an alleyway. Once her and Sun reached the rear door, she pulled out a hair clip and picked the lock.

Sun posted up on the doorframe and crossed his arms while she worked. "They should call you the cat burglar," he teased.

The amber-eyed girl responded with an eye roll.

She opened the door to a dark storage room and they found their way easily to the shop with their superb night vision. The bookshop was dimly lit with most of the books packed away in boxes. Blake perused the nearly empty shelves while Sun observed the checkout counter.

"What are we looking for?" He asked while examining a log.

Blake continued to browse the shelves. "I'm not sure," she answered when suddenly a book caught her eye on a top shelf. It had a fox on the cover titled: "The Fox in the Dark." She plucked it from the shelf and opened it to find the pages had been cut out to hide a Scroll. "I found something," she called out to Sun and he came to her side.

She turned on the Scroll and a video message awaited them. When she played it, she recognized the red-haired fox Faunus on the screen from the teashop. The unknown stranger spoke:

_Blake Belladonna, ex-member of the White Fang. My sources tell me you've been interrogating the Faunus of Vale for information on the group. I too was a member, along with the owner of the bookstore I've led you to._

_Tukson and I joined the White Fang together, but he decided to desert the group once he learned of their plans. As he was prepping to flee to Vacuo, he was murdered in his own shop once the organization learned of his defection._

_Tukson never had a chance to tell me what the White Fang was planning and recently, I've decided to flee myself. I don't know what they want with all the Dust, but I can tell you it's for something big. I'm sorry I can't give you more information, but I can give you the location that they hold their regular faction meetings to recruit new Faunus to join their cause. They hold these meetings the last Friday night of every month and maybe you could get more information there._

_I'm telling you this because Tukson was a good man and my friend. He didn't deserve to die the way he did._

_Good luck._

The screen went dark and Blake met Sun's gaze. "Let's go," she said while heading for the door and pocketing the newly acquired Scroll.

Once outside, Sun laced his hands behind his head. "Man, this detective stuff is kinda fun."

She barely heard his words as she began to amble down the street deep in thought. The White Fang was getting more merciless, killing one of their own just for running away. That thought made her stomach turn, she needed to find out what they were up to.

"Hey," Sun called disrupting her thoughts. When she looked at him, he bore an earnest expression. "I know you want to get to the bottom of this, and I can't stop you. Just promise me you won't do it alone. Okay?"

She broke eye contact, feeling nothing but alone these past few weeks. It hurt. Her team was starting to become her family and yesterday's encounter with Yang proved that her solitude had wounded the blonde.

Yet, the thought of putting them in danger didn't sit right with her, but deep down she knew Sun was right. At the end of the day, he was just looking out for her safety and this mission would take more than what she could muster by herself. "Alright," she finally met his gaze and answered.

He smiled and she returned it. Her eyes drifted to a jewelry store window right behind him. On display sat a necklace with an amethyst pendant. She thought of Yang immediately, the color matching her eyes almost perfectly.


	3. Chapter 3

Drops of late afternoon rain greeted Yang as she navigated her way to the dorms. Ruby and Weiss had been busy most of the day taking care of something for one of their classes, so Yang decided to head to their room and wait for them to go to dinner. This morning the blonde once again woke up to Blake's bed being empty, sticking to her weekend routine of being gone before anyone woke up and returning late at night.

Her teammate's avoidance had irked her and it clearly showed after Glynda's class yesterday. Sometimes she envied Blake's calm and cool nature, but Yang had always been rather tempestuous; preferring to take issues head-on with a straightforward approach. Still, she wasn't proud of her volatile reaction. She was just concerned for her teammate and she wanted to help her out if she could.

When she reached the room, she was completely thunderstruck to see the raven-haired girl sitting on her bed staring out of the windowpane covered with raindrops. Once Yang entered, Blake gave her a hesitant look. "Hey," she greeted treading carefully.

"Hi," the blonde responded, taking a seat across from her on Weiss' bed and placing her hands on her knees. The tension in the room was almost thick enough to cut with a knife.

"I'm sorry," they both blurted at the same time after a span of taut silence.

Blake's eyebrows knit together. "Why in the world would you be sorry?"

"For yesterday…" Yang's face tightened. "I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you like that. I just miss you and I wish you'd tell me what's wrong."

Blake's expression softened briefly before looking at her feet. "You have a right to be angry," she said plaintively.

"I think I'm more worried than anything," she admitted, clasping both knees tightly. "I guess I thought you were finally starting to trust us." There's a strange constriction in her voice because it's true. Her normally reserved teammate had shown her true colors and it was something to marvel at, like the fireworks at the end of term bash.

Those amber eyes glinted. "Of course I do." She said standing to cross the threshold and sit beside her partner. "You, Weiss, and Ruby have become like family to me."

"So why are you avoiding us?"

"Well," she responded in a low tone. "I've been wanting to do something about the White Fang and lately I've been doing some digging. I feel like the more I pull away, the more I'm protecting all of you."

"What are you talking about?"

"They're becoming ruthless," she responds almost angrily, curling her fists in her lap. "And, I don't know what I'd do if any of you got hurt because of my past," she admitted solemnly, stunning the blonde.

Suddenly Yang understood. Her teammate thought she was being noble by keeping her distance because she believed that her past would come back to haunt anyone she cared about. "Look, I get why you're worried, but you have to believe that we can take whatever comes at us together. You don't have to push us away."

The Faunus nodded, ostensibly coming to that conclusion herself. "Okay," she breathed. "I really am sorry."

"I kn-"

The door to the room opened with Ruby appearing in the doorway, interrupting Yang's response. "Yaaang! You rea- oh hey Blake! Want to grab some dinner with us?" She asked as both sisters gave the Faunus a hopeful look.

"I do," Blake said offering a smile. "

"Great!" Ruby gleamed.

Hey Rube, can you give us a minute? We'll meet you guys there," Yang requested to her sister.

"Alright, see you there!" She said, then closed the door.

"Are we okay?" The lilac-eyed girl asked.

"I would really like to be," Blake admitted, eying her drawer. "I um, got you something."

"No way! You didn't have to," her teammate exclaimed.

The Faunus got up and collected the box from her drawer then handed it to her partner. "I wanted to, for being so cruddy…"

"You thought you were doing what was right," Yang tried to assuage. She opened the box to reveal a necklace with an oval amethyst pendant in an ornate gold setting. "It's beautiful," she breathed, meeting Blake's eyes. "Thank you…"

Blake looked away bashfully. "It's nothing."

"I feel bad that I don't have anything for you."

Blake held up her hands. "Don't be. Really you don't have to get me anything."

"You sure? I saw a really neat cat tree I think you'd go crazy over," Yang teased.

"Don't you dare," Blake chuckled.

* * *

The next night, Blake sat on her bed hugging her knees as she reminisced about the night at the shipyard against the White Fang and Torchwick, along with the conversation with Headmaster Ozpin afterward. She wanted to reconnect with her team while they were ribbing around her in the library earlier, but she'd been too absorbed with chewing over what Tochwick's endgame was.

Her team entered the room still giddy over Remnant: The Game. Yang and Ruby were having a jeering exchange so Blake tried to slip out without them noticing.

"Stop!" Weiss demanded when Blake reached for the doorknob. She retracted her hand but didn't turn to face her teammate. "Lately you've been quiet, antisocial and moody!" The heiress accused.

"Uh, have you met Blake?" Yang quipped.

Evidently, Yang hadn't been the only one to notice Blake's evasion of the group lately. The heiress persisted to confront the Faunus, reminding Blake of her promise to let the team know if anything was wrong and making a dramatic show about it by balancing eccentrically on a chair.

Blake finally voiced her apprehension about Torchwick, but her team tried to persuade her that the police and Huntsmen were on it. There was also the issue of them being students who weren't ready to handle a situation this big.

"And we may never be ready! Our enemies aren't going to sit around and wait for graduation day," Blake persisted to argue, pointing at the door. "They're out there, somewhere! Planning their next move, and none of us know what it is, but it's coming! Whether we're ready or not!" She said in a rare show of passion.

Ruby raised her hand and looked manic. "Okay, all those in favor of becoming the youngest Huntresses to singlehandedly take down a corrupt organization conspiring against the Kingdom of Vale…say aye," the younger girl gabbled and raised her hand.

"Yes!" Yang gestured enthusiastically then pointed a finger at Blake. "I love it when you're feisty!"

The Faunus got a rush of heat on her cheeks and the old feelings she'd been pushing down erupted back up to the surface. A small part of her had hoped that her crush on Yang would pass over the last few weeks, figuring the attraction to her teammate happened because it was so new and exciting. However, standing there now, with the blonde's devastating smirk and eyes filled with acclamation, Blake could have virtually melted.

"Well, I suppose it could be fun." Weiss said.

"None of you said aye!" Ruby complained.

"Alright then, we're in this together!" Blake replied overcome by a raw fondness for her team at their willingness to help her. She had really missed her team and their banter. That feeling was solidified more as Ruby adorably claimed to forget her board game and ran out the room.

"We're doomed!" Weiss groaned, placing her hand on her head.  
_

Yang briefly admired the necklace that was gifted to her in her bike's mirror as she waited for Neptune who was walking up to the bike. "Hop on," she instructed. He did so, clasping his hands tightly around her waist. "Down boy," she said as the engine roared to life. The boy loosened his grip slightly and Yang turned her head to look over her shoulder. "All the way down," she cautioned, and the boy reluctantly slid back and clasped the seat. She sped out of the school's garage with the late afternoon sun at their back.

She weaved through the city of Vale's traffic and parked the bike in front of a coffee shop. She and Neptune had a few hours to kill before they could do their part of the investigation of getting information from Junior at the nightclub. They grabbed their drinks and posted up on the roof to watch the dazzling evening sunset.

"So," Neptune began after taking a sip of his coffee. "I'm sure you can tell my friend Sun has a thing for Blake. Do you think the guy has a chance?"

Yang stopped stirring her coffee, giving the blue-haired boy a sidelong glance. She could tell that Sun was into Blake, and tonight the two would be working together. What she couldn't place was the foreign and ugly feeling she'd get at the thought of them together. "I don't know," she finally answered, shrugging. Which was true, she didn't know if Blake returned Sun's attraction. "She doesn't really talk about that stuff."

"Oh come on," Neptune goaded. "She's your partner. What's she like when she's not so… aloof?"

The blonde took a long sip of coffee; an attempt to prevent herself from uttering answers like incredible, or adorable, or lovely. The memory of Blake revealing her outfit earlier entered her mind, and Yang remembered how she couldn't stop herself from gaping at the beauty. She set her mug down. "Well… Blake takes a while to open up, but when she does… she's great."

"That girl is a closed book," Neptune laughed. "I'll admit, she's got the whole dark and mysterious thing down. I think that's why Sun's so crazy about her. He's used to women fawning all over him."

"You're one to talk," Yang smirked. Even she could admit the boy was good looking and a smooth talker.

He flashed a trademark grin. "When you got it, flaunt it. Right?"

"I suppose," she laughed, leaning back in her chair. "Anyway, Blake is really passionate about stopping the White Fang. I'm honestly not sure if she'd entertain any love interests while she's trying to get to the bottom of their schemes." That put her oddly at ease and made her a bit sad at the same time.

"Well," Neptune said, holding up his mug. "Hopefully we can crack this tonight so our two good friends can find some love," he joked.

Yang tapped his mug with her own, offering a half-hearted cheers. "Yeah," she murmured, staring into the evening twilight.


	4. Chapter 4

Though the investigation by Team RWBY wasn't fruitless, Blake had been fuming that Torchwick got away for weeks. It may have been their only chance to stop the infamous criminal and the weasel slipped away yet again. That thought, along with the unanswered questions kept her up for countless hours every night since.

So, once Glynda found a different opponent for Pyrrha during their sparring class, Blake opened her book and the world went dark almost immediately.

"Hey," Yang's voice soothed moments later as she rubbed a hand on her back. "Let's get out of here. I already got excused."

Blake jerked up in confusion. "What?"

"We're leaving," she said more firmly, clasping her arm to help her up. She followed her teammate out of the class, ignoring the curious eyes that watched them.

"What are we doing?" Blake asked as they headed for the building's exit.

"Ditching," Yang answered simply. "I thought you could use a break."

Blake was too tired to process that. "And where are we going?" She asked, not bothering to hide her grumpy mood.

Yang held the door open for her as they walked outside. "That's a surprise!" She grinned, the smile as bright as the afternoon sun. The expression was enough to ward off Blake's surly attitude.

"Is this the reason you weren't at lunch?" Blake wondered out loud.

"I guess you'll have to find out," Yang winked. The blonde led her east, past the school grounds towards the cliffs. When they neared the edge, Yang walked in front of Blake and dropped down.

The Faunus' eyes widened as she hurried to the edge. "Yang!" She called worriedly. When she looked down, she saw the blonde's smirking form about fifteen feet below on a smaller ledge. "Don't scare me like that!" She warned.

Her smile turned impish. "Think you can stick that landing kitty cat?"

Blake rolled her eyes then dropped down landing with her catlike grace next to her partner. Yang led them behind a waterfall and up a path to the other side of the brook. "Almost there," she assured as they continued down the path with the cliffs to their right and dense foliage to their left. Finally, a small clearing opened up in the concealment of the large trees containing a fascinating meadow with patches of beautiful flowers. A picnic basket on top of a blanket was centered in the middle of it all.

"Where are we?" Blake asked curiously.

"I come here when I want to be alone," Yang admitted, gazing at the beautiful view of the river. She looked at her teammate over her shoulder and Blake couldn't help but find her cowlick being blown by the breeze adorable. "It's a good place to think," she said turning and taking a seat on the blanket, motioning for Blake to do the same.

"How did you find it?" The raven-haired girl asked as she took a seat.

Yang pulled a sandwich out of the basket and handed it to her partner. "I didn't. My dad told me how to find it," she said, pulling a sandwich out for herself. "You should eat."

"I'm not the one that skipped lunch remember?"

"We both know you haven't been eating much lately," Yang pointed out firmly.

Blake blinked, astonished with her teammate's considerateness. Yang had done all of this because she was worried about her. She took a bite of food, seeing the satisfaction in her partner's eyes as the blonde did the same. Once they finished eating, the raven-haired girl couldn't help but lie back on the blanket with the gratification of a full stomach.

"Better?" Yang asked with an amused smirk.

"Much," she agreed blinking sleepily. "Do you bring Ruby here sometimes?" She wondered out loud with her eyes closed.

"Nope," the blonde said lying back herself. "You're the only one I've ever brought here."

"Really?" The Faunus asked opening her eyes truly surprised. That tidbit gave her a strange satisfaction. "Why?" She inquired glancing at the brawler's relaxed body with her hands behind her head.

"Cuz you can keep a secret."

"Oh," Blake said, settling back down. "Yang?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you… for everything."

"It's no-"

A loud buzzing jerked Blake awake from her slumber. "And remember!" She heard Glynda inform the class as the students were leaving. "The dance is this weekend. But you all have your first mission on Monday. I will not accept any excuses," she cautioned.

The Faunus glanced next to her as Yang stood from her seat. Blake had this recurring dream over the last few weeks vividly replaying the day Yang brought her to her secret hideaway a few days after their investigation. Though it offered her a brief reprieve from her real-life vexations, she couldn't stop thinking of the White Fang. She trailed her team outside tiredly while keeping her head in her book.

"Hey, Blake!" Sun called, running up to grasp her shoulder. "You, uh, doing okay?"

She turned to face him closing her book. "I'm fine."

The Faunus boy asked her to the dance this weekend causing Blake to become completely stupefied. She didn't have the time or the luxury to attend a dance while the criminals were still out there. That, and the fact that she didn't want to see whose arm Yang would be hanging off of triggered her tart rejection. "I don't have time for a _stupid_ dance. I thought _you_ of all people would get that," she spat then stomped off angrily past her team.

* * *

Yang rapped on a dorm door three times then waited for an answer. Neptune opened it a moment later clearly surprised to see her. "Yang?" He said lifting an eyebrow. "Sup?"

"Hey Neptune," she greeted offering a wave. "Is Sun here?"

"Why yes," he opened the door wider to show Sun posted on his bed with his hands behind his head. He motioned for her to come in and she complied.

"Would you mind giving us a minute?" Yang asked the blue-haired boy once she was inside.

"Um? Sure?" He said baffled, but left the room and closed the door behind him.

Sun sat up. "What's up?"

"I have something for you," Yang said pulling something from her belt's pouch and handing it to Sun.

The blue-eyed boy unwound the white material. "What is it?" He asked perplexed.

"That," Yang said pointing to the held item. "Is what we call a tie."

"Aaaand what do you want me to do with this thing?"

Yang placed her hands on her hips. "What I want is for you to put your best shirt on and take Blake to the dance tomorrow."

He stood with his arms out to both sides. "Were you not there yesterday?" His voice full of disbelief. "She already turned me down, remember?"

She ruffled his hair. "Aw cheer up," she reassured, pointing a thumb at herself. "I just talked to her and I'm pretty sure she'll agree if you ask her again."

He gave her a hopeful look. "Ya think?"

"Yup!" She smiled then looked towards his closet door. "Any chance you own a pair of slacks?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said putting up his hands. "The shirt and neck trap's already pushing it."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Sooo, why are you doing this?"

"I just want her to have the perfect night. You and I both know she's been burning the candle at both ends lately. She's due for some fun."

"Well, alright!" He agreed. "I'll find her in the morning then."

Yang headed for the door. "Great!" She called looking over her shoulder. "I'll see you both there." She left the room and headed for her own dorm building reminiscing about her conversation with Blake earlier. Yang had never told anyone about her mom and how her obsession to find her had nearly gotten her and Ruby killed when they were younger.

Although their relationship had been a little rocky lately with the White Fang investigation, she trusted Blake deeply with that information. She needed her teammate to understand that the mission shouldn't control her, plus the girl deserved a good time.

That's why she wanted Sun to ask her partner again, even if that nagging feeling in her stomach came up every time she thought of them together. She'd push it aside if it meant her partner's happiness. She opened the door to her room and was pleased to see that Blake was already sound asleep. She walked up to her bed and pulled the girl's blanket to cover her body. "Good night," she whispered to the sleeping form.


	5. Chapter 5

Yang stood near the entrance of the dance behind a platform to greet all those who walked in. Her eyes grew upon Ruby's appearance and she let out a loud squeal. "Oh you look beautiful!" She exclaimed waiving her arms in the air and jumping with joy.

Even though her little sister looked like a baby deer walking in heels, Yang could hardly believe that she'd grown up so fast. It seemed like only yesterday she was taking care of Ruby as a toddler. Now, she looked absolutely ravishing in her red sleeveless dress.

"Can we have a serious talk about how Weiss fights in these?" Her sister muttered with her awkward gait.

Yang giggled then walked with Ruby towards the dance floor and pointed to where Weiss was. "I'll catch up with you two soon okay?"

"Word," Ruby acknowledged heading slowly but surely to Weiss by the dance floor.

She headed back to her post but stopped short when Sun and Blake entered the room. Yang's heart raced at the sight of her, accompanied by a sharp pang of longing. As they approached, Yang was completely captivated watching the way Blake's graceful body –with all her feline prowess– moved towards her from across the room in a beautiful purple dress. Her mouth felt dry, unable to come up with one of her usual scintillating comments. For the first time in her life, she was completely lost for words.

Blake's eyes glittered at hers in the low light of the ballroom while she smiled in that demure way that drove Yang wild. "The fun has arrived," she heard Sun say.

Yang quickly closed her mouth and tore her eyes away to look at Sun, realizing too late that she had been staring. "You guys made it!" She finally blurted out.

"We did," he smiled to his date. "Now, can you two dance so I can have my turn?" He gestured to the dance floor. Blake gave him an elbow to his side. "What?" He asked rubbing the spot she nudged.

"I'd love to," Yang exclaimed before she could stop the words. "I mean, I could use a break," she admitted.

"Alright," Blake smiled.

The lilac-eyed girl took her hand and led her to the floor as the next song began. For Yang, dancing had always come easily just like fighting, they were two things she loved to do. So, when she took the lead, she was pleasantly surprised to find Blake follow her movements with ease.

She led the dark-haired beauty seamlessly around the dance floor. Their movements felt natural, just like they had when they fought with one another on the battlefield: two partners interlocked and moving as one. The brawler knew she couldn't stomach dancing with anyone else tonight, not after she felt what it was like to dance with Blake. This was the person she wanted to do all her dances with from now on.

Sadly, the song ended too soon. Yang spun her around one final time and they both swept each other a bow. She motioned for Sun to take her place and headed for Weiss and her sister. "I told you she'd come," she said once she reached them, turning to give her partner one last longing look. Blake shot her an appreciative smile that only constricted the noose around her heart further.

"Mission accomplished," Weiss agreed.

Ruby looked at both of her teammates at her sides. "So, what do we do now?"

"Just have fun," Yang called over her shoulder, then walked off back to her post by the door. After a few minutes, she was surprised to find Weiss by her side at the podium.

"I was wondering why you asked me for that old tie," she heard the heiress say next to her.

"Well, now you know."

"Right. You know, you and Blake looked really good dancing out there. You even had a few people staring," she pointed out giving Yang an odd knowing look.

Yang played with her hair to hide her alarm. "Oh yeah?" She said trying to downplay the compliment and was relieved to see Mercury and Emerald walking in as a distraction. "You guys are just in time!" She called as Weiss thankfully walked away. After the two of them entered, Yang stuck around her post a little while longer until no one else came in for a while.

She walked around and checked the refreshments, then ultimately went to the upper level to appreciate the scene below. She stayed on that perch for most of the night, giggling with mirth once Team JNPR commanded the dance floor with their synchronized routine. She continued to check on Blake, and to her satisfaction the girl did indeed look like she was having a good time.

On the upper level, she'd finally placed the strange emotion that took hold of her whenever she saw Blake and Sun together. It was jealousy. She realized that she wanted to be the one to make her partner laugh, or sweep her off her feet, or… well, _anything_ she needed. But she wasn't, and that was a hard pill to swallow. Sadness took a hold of her. She needed a break from the dance and decided to head outside for the balcony.

* * *

Another song ended and Blake was getting hot from all the dancing she'd done throughout the night. She clasped Sun's arm. "I'm going to get some air," she told him and he replied that he would get her a drink. She nodded and headed upstairs for the balcony.

Once outside, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Yang looking out into the distance with both arms on the railing. The girl was a complete knockout tonight, the moon and stars above paling in comparison to her ethereal radiance. She took a hesitant step forward, deciding whether or not to disturb her partner, but eventually made her way towards her.

"You look beautiful tonight," she said as she neared the railing, noticing how the girl constricted like a coil at her words.

The blonde turned slowly, meeting her gaze. "Thanks. You do too," she said with a peculiar hesitance. She gestured to the railing and the Faunus mirrored her position. "Are you having a good time?" She asked.

"I am. Really thanks," she assured. "I thought I'd see you out there on the dance floor though," she admitted.

Yang ran her hand through those golden tresses and Blake attempted to not gape at the sight. "I'm just happy to see everyone enjoying themselves," she smiled but it didn't meet her eyes.

"Do you want to dance again? Here?" The amber-eyed girl surprised herself by asking. It apparently shocked Yang too, with her delayed reaction and the expression on her face.

"I-"

"Got you some punch!" Sun called from the door, smiling as he walked up to them. "Oh hey Yang, great job with the event tonight! We do things a little differently where I'm from, but this formal stuff isn't as dull as I thought it would be."

"Thanks," she replied eying the door. "I should go check to see if the punch bowl is still full," the lilac-eyed girl sputtered, moving quickly for the exit.

Blake watched her carefully but stayed put. "Thanks," she said to Sun once he handed her the drink. She took a sip and went back to her previous position on the balcony, placing the drink on the rail. The Faunus boy came up and stood next to her side.

"I'm having a great time," he admitted sheepishly. "I hope you are too?"

"Of course," she said, offering a small smile.

He held her gaze, his hand reaching to tilt her chin up nervously. Blake stiffened; the boy was about to kiss her. She realized he was easy enough to fall for. She found him extremely handsome, kind, funny, and he had beautiful piercing eyes like the ocean. She'd come with him tonight because she thought it would be easier if she had someone to take her mind off of who Yang would be dancing with, but to her surprise, the only person Yang danced with was her.

His mouth came closer to hers and she stopped his advance. "I'm so sorry," she said turning her head back to the view. "I can't," she whispered. It wouldn't be right for her to lead him on. Not when she wanted to open her eyes to lilac orbs whenever she envisioned kissing someone.

"Oh," he said, his eyes widening. He put his arms on the railing and stayed quiet for a while. "Can't blame a guy for trying right?" He finally said.

Blake looked at him gratefully. Sun was an amazing guy and she so badly wanted him to find what he was looking for. It just wouldn't be her. "I guess not," she chuckled. "Thank you for taking this so well."

He nodded. "This doesn't change us being friends right?"

She placed her hand on his forearm. "Of course not."

**Notes:**

The dance scene really surprised me the first couple times I watched the show. You have Yang, the clear extrovert of her team and party girl. The show could have portrayed her in her element in the ballroom: dancing and mingling with the other students. However, the only person they showed her dancing with was Blake and then she stayed by herself on the upper level away from the festivity watching everyone else have fun. Talk about uncharacteristic and food for thought.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Yang was busily packing her belongings in the closet for their upcoming mission. It was taking her a while since she kept spacing out to the previous night at the dance. She and Ruby stayed in their room, while Weiss and Blake went to grab them all food. The blonde had waited last minute to pack, ignoring Weiss' advice to plan ahead. This undoubtedly got her an earful from the Ice Queen before she left.

Nevertheless, she was glad to stay behind with Ruby who was sitting on Blake's bed, nervously awaiting her meeting with Headmaster Ozpin and General Ironwood about the encounter she had with the mysterious masked woman from last night. Yang finally zipped up her bag and headed for the bedroom. "I wondered if you were ever going to come out the closet," Ruby turned and said.

Yang froze in the doorframe, speculating if her sister had a double meaning to her statement. She saw the antsy look on Ruby's face and the brawler realized her sister just wanted to be comforted. She walked up and placed her arms on her sister's shoulders. "You've got this sis. Just tell them what you saw and you'll be fine," she encouraged.

"Okay," she said looking a little less uneasy and standing up. "I should get going then."

Yang gave her shoulders one last squeeze. "Good luck."

Once she left the room, Yang took over Ruby's spot on the bed. Now that her baby sister had unknowingly brought it up, she couldn't help but wonder if she was in the metaphorical closet. She'd never really considered her sexual identity, but yet again, she'd never been attracted to another female before Blake.

Sure, there were plenty of girls that she found beautiful, but they certainly didn't conjure the desire to touch them, or hold their hand, or kiss them like her partner had. Well hell… did that mean that she liked girls or just Blake?

This was a rabbit hole she wasn't prepared for, and she hadn't even considered her past with guys yet. At Signal, she'd never formed a serious connection or relationship with anyone. She'd just go with the flow; experimenting with guys she found mutually attractive. It made her wonder if she wanted something serious with Blake?

Images reeled in her head from the way Blake looked in her dress last night, to them napping on a picnic blanket by the cliffs, to the smoldering look in her eyes by the fire at the end of term bash. The brawler had never felt so strongly towards anyone before. The amber-eyed girl had become a pillar she could lean on and someone she could open up to and confide in. It amazed Yang that the girl's personality was almost totally opposite from her own, but that cool and steady disposition was enough to calm her stormy emotions.

Sooo yes… apparently she did want something serious. And did it really matter if the person she wanted to be with was a man or a woman? Hell, did it matter if they were a human or a Faunus? _No_, she decided. She had no doubt that her family would accept her, no matter what. Now the question was, would it matter to Blake?

She sighed, realizing that she should be focusing on their upcoming mission. It wasn't right to worry about this when her team's lives could be at stake. Besides, she could be pining for a girl that was already forming a relationship with someone else.

The dorm room door opened revealing Weiss and Blake. "Hey slacker," Weiss gibed setting the bag of food on the table. "Ruby isn't back yet?" She asked.

Yang stood and her teammates came by her side. "Not yet," she replied, casting a discreet glance at the girl she had been musing about. "I think she'll be back any minute though," she said, realizing that she had spent a great deal of time stewing over her feelings judging by the time on the clock.

"What do you think they're asking her?" Blake wondered.

As if on cue, Ruby opened the door and they all bombarded her before she could walk in. "What happened?" Yang demanded excitedly.

* * *

As the Black Cargo Train sped through the mountainous cliffs and the forest of red-leafed trees in Forever Fall, Blake made her way into the boxcar that Adam was in. "Adam?" she called into the blacked out room.

"Right here," he called, stepping into the light from the open door. "I just finished setting the charges."

Her brows furrowed. "What about the crew members?"

"What about them?" He replied callously. "They'll die. They all will." Suddenly the lights cut on illuminating the car.

Blake's eyes grew with alarm seeing Ruby, Weiss, and Yang bounded and gagged, eyes full of shock. "Adam!" She called in horror, as he held the detonator in his hand. With one last smirk, he pushed the button causing a bloodcurdling explosion.

The Faunus shot up from her bedroll and gasped, momentarily forgetting where she was. Relief washed over her when she saw Ruby and Weiss asleep mere feet away by the bonfire. She placed a hand over her face, trying to calm her pounding heart.

"Are you okay?" Yang's voice called.

Blake tilted her head up slightly, seeing the blonde's worried expression through her fingers. "Yeah. I just…had a messed up dream," she whispered.

"You, um, wanna talk about it?"

The Faunus removed her hand from her face. "It's hard to explain," she sighed.

"Try me," her mouth pulled sideways with a hint of a smirk.

Quietly, Blake got up and took a seat next to her partner by the window. "Well," she said in a low voice looking outside. "I think talking about my mentor earlier may have triggered a dream. He and I didn't always see eye-to-eye, and I can't help but think how furious he'd be if he found out that I'm working with humans." She explained, not wanting to disclose the details of her dream.

"You know what I admire about you?" Her teammate said quietly, meeting Blake's inquisitive look. "You could have stayed with the White Fang since they were getting results with their radical ways and all, but you left something you believed in your whole life, because you didn't want to go down a dark path. I think it's pretty brave."

The other woman scoffed in disbelief. "Thanks, but… you forget I was in the shadows, at least for a while."

Yang watched as a lone Beowolf traversed the street. "You don't give yourself enough credit," she whispered. Even with her elevated hearing, Blake almost didn't hear it. "One day you'll see that your compassion will light up the world," she said a little louder, bearing an expression full of conviction.

Blake glanced up at her, seemingly struggling for a reply. She had no idea how this girl kept making her feel like the most important person in a room. Or no matter how hard Blake tried to fortify her walls, Yang would find a way to make them crumble. It was because her partner showed her what it felt like when someone truly cared she realized.

They heard a rustling, and turned to see Ruby stirring on her sleeping mat. Yang turned back to her partner. "Maybe you should try to get some sleep," she suggested.

"Okay," she said standing. "Good night," she whispered.

"Goodnight."

Blake went back to her bedroll, reminiscing the night before the dance when her partner had told her about her mother abandoning her after she was born. Yang had always emanated that she was a strong and confident person, but that confession revealed to Blake that her partner had her own demons.

It made the Belladonna girl feel bad for letting her dirty laundry consume her thoughts and actions. Yang had been dealing with her own issues, but she never let them change who she was. It inspired her to do the same. She wanted to put the past behind her, to stop running, and to focus on the future with her team. She casted one last look at the blonde and closed her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Calling this morning crazy was an understatement. Team Ruby and Doctor Oobleck may have failed to stop Roman Torchwick's train that was laced with bombs to lure Grimm to Vale. However, they were able to successfully fight off hordes of Grimm with their friends, classmates, and teachers soon after the train crashed into the city. Plus, Torchwick was finally arrested and Yang was glad to see that Blake seemed content with their accomplishment as Team RWBY and Zwei sat watching the sunrise on the edge of Beacon's landing platform overlooking the City of Vale from the river.

The blonde made a show of lying on her back as the dog followed her lead. "Yay, teamwork, camaraderie, good guys, go team, alright, good job," she cheered tiredly. She propped herself up on her elbows. "So what now?"

"I'd suggest training for the tournament, but I think we have that covered at this point," Weiss pointed out.

"So then…" Blake began.

"Uh… time for bed?" Ruby finished.

The rest of the team articulated their agreement and they headed back to the dorms. "Speaking of the tournament," Yang began while she trailed her team. "I think we should all have a war cry!"

Weiss lifted a brow at her. "I beg your pardon?"

The brawler made a fist. "You know, a rebel yell! Something that will make our opponents shake in their boots when they hear it," she explained, punching her fist into the air.

"What did you have in mind?" Ruby said, trying to entertain her sister's idea.

"Something like this," the Sunny Little Dragon said as she stopped walking and bellowed out a cry that sounded like a constipated dolphin.

The rest of the girls screeched to a halt, turning to face their blonde counterpart who looked delighted with herself. "Nailed it!"

"Never. Ever. Do that again," Weiss chastised.

Ruby put a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Sis, we're gonna keep our options open, but that's a good backup."

"Many fear silence," Blake pointed out.

Yang wasn't swayed. "Please! You guys will thank me once you see them cower."

The heiress pinched her nose. "Let's just worry about qualifying first."

Yang punched her fists together and smiled. "I can't wait."

* * *

The next afternoon, Blake stood in the hallway outside her dorm peeking inside the cracked door. The bane of her existence sat on the other side wagging its tail as he beckoned her to come in. She shut the door abruptly and sighed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Yang's voice surprised her from behind causing the Faunus to jump.

"Well… I was going to grab a book inside, but I'll just find something else to do."

The blonde eyed her amusingly. "You won't go in because of Zwei huh?"

Blake chewed her lip. "I may have forgotten he was here," she muttered.

"Well, it's time for his walk."

"Great!" The Belladonna girl beamed. "Have fun!"

"Nice try, but you're coming."

Blake paled. "Why?"

Yang opened the door to the room and called for Zwei. "Let's go, boy!" The dog scuttled out into the hall on his short legs. "You've got to get used to him sometime. What are you gonna do, live in the hallway?"

"It's not a bad idea," Blake mused.

"Oh come on," she said grabbing her teammate's arm and leading her to the exit. They strolled with Zwei on one of the large patches of grass in the school's courtyard. "Can you believe what a crazy year it's been already? I still can't believe what we did yesterday."

They stopped and stood under a nearby tree while the dog did his business and Blake laced her hands behind her head. "No, I can't believe it either. It seems like it was just yesterday that I saw you bashing in an Ursa's head for slicing off a strand of your hair," she said, a smug smile curled at her lips.

"Hey! That thing asked for it!" Yang defended. The brawler crossed her arms and leaned against the tree. "You know, I always wondered why you picked me as a partner."

Blake's brows furrowed and she pouted her lip in thought. "Hmm… When I saw you fighting the Ursa, it proved you were a capable fighter and I thought your style complimented what I lacked," she explained, bringing her arms down to cross them at her chest. "There's more to it than that though, but I've honestly never really been able to understand why?"

"Well, I'm really glad you did. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like here without you."

Blake smiled at that. "Me neither."

Zwei walked towards them and they both looked at the small dog. "Here," the brawler said, pulling a ball from her pocket and handing it to Blake. "Throw this for Zwei."

The Faunus eyed the ball skeptically but did as she was told. The dog ran into the field to retrieve the ball, and when he brought it back, Blake couldn't help but be mortified at the drooling overly excited animal coming right at her. She jumped up into the nearby tree and looked down.

Yang shot her an incredulous look. "Blake! Get down!"


End file.
